1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mat bevel cutting apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus which is particularly designed and constructed to facilitate the entire preparation of matting material for picture framing from the step of sizing the material to the completed bevel cut for framing the picture.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One of the primary problems confronting a frame shop technician is the preparation of mats for use in outlining a picture to be framed. There are machines presently available which are both complicated and costly for the preparation of some mats but are normally prohibitively expensive for the individual frame shop owner. Therefore, most frame shop owners utilize some rough makeshift device for cutting the mats or are forced to accomplish the entire operation by means of a knife blade and straight edge.
The art of mat cutting is old as is evidenced in the patent to McCall, U.S. Pat. No. 570,180, issued 1896 for a "Bevel Edge Cardboard Cutter". The patent to McCall recognized that there is a problem in holding down the matting material during the cutting operation and therefore mounted his cutting guide rail pivotally so that the guide rail itself could help hold down the matting material. However, by pivotally mounting his guide rail mechanism, he was foreclosed from incorporating sidewalls for the purpose of aligning and squaring the matting material within the machine.
The problem pointed out in the above description of the patent to McCall has been prevalent throughout the manufacturing of bevel picture mat cutters. Further, most devices that have been manufactured or are presently available have a rather complicated measuring apparatus built-in or the measuring has to take place by an ordinary scale and the use of a marking apparatus to mark the cutting points on the mat itself. The more recent patent to Ellerin, U.S. Pat. No. 3,527,131, issued 1970 for a "Mat Cutter" is indicative of the complicated measuring and blade guide apparatuses which are presently available on the market.